Improvement in lasts for boots and shoes



F. S. PRENTICE.

Last for Boats and Shoes.

153 375 Patentedl uly21,1874.

\NVEN'TOR GRAPHIC COJHOJU-LITPLSSBd-l PARK PLAGE,N.Y-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS S. PRENTICE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LASTS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,376, dated July 21,1874; application filed June 4, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS S. PRENTICE, of the city and county ofWorcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Lasts to be used in making boots and shoes;and I do hereby declare the following to be a clear, full, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1represents a side view, in perspective, of a shoe made upon one of myimproved lasts before the last is removed from the shoe. Fig. 2represents a section of a last made according to my invention; and Fig.3 represents a similar section of a last illustrating the improvement asapplied to old lasts.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the heel and front parts of the last are shown brokenaway.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to makeand use the same, I will proceed to describe it more in de tail.

In the drawings, the part marked A is the quarter or back of the upperof the shoe, and B the vamp or front part; C, the sole, and D the heel.The parts marked A and B are united by the seam E, which, it will beseen by reference to Fig. 1, rests upon an elevated or raised part ofthe last. This raised part of the last is shown at F and Cr, Figs. 2 and3. In Fig. 2 this raised part is shown upon a last turned so as to leavea raised or projecting part on the last for the entire distance of seamE, which unites the vamp and quarters. In Fig. 3 the raised part isformed by securing a piece of leather or other material, G, to the last,first turned in the ordinary way, and I prefer to use strips of leatherfor this purpose, fastening the same to old lasts by means of woodenpegs, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The practical result of my invention is to render the shoes and boots inwhich an instep seam is used easy to the foot, thus relieving the wearerfrom the inconvenience and great pain often resulting from wearing shoesin which the parts forming the seam E are supported upon lasts made orturned in the ordinary Waythat is, without any elevation or raised partF to support the parts formin g the seam when the upper is first lastedpreparatory to applying the sole.

My invention has been practically tested and found to work verysuccessfully, and is highly appreciated by both manufacturers of bootsand shoes and those wearing them.

The raised part F supports the seam part E out farther from the centerof the last, so much so that after the last is removed from the shoe andthe shoe drawn upon the foot, there is no drawing or pinching of thefoot of the wearer by the seam E.

Having described my improvement in lasts to be used in the manufactureof boots and shoes, what I claim therein as new and of my invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent as an improved article ofmanufacture, is 4 A last having a raised or elevated part, F or G, forsupporting the seam E, which unites the Vamp and quarters, during theoperation of lasting and soling the boot or shoe, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth. FRANCIS S. PRENTICE. IVitnesses THos. H.DODGE,

EDWIN E MooRE.

